What's next? 5 things to watch in Ukraine crisis

A timeline of events in Ukraine's political crisis during the last several months.

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

Ukraine government abandons agreement

Valery Soloviov, AP

Ukraine government abandons agreement

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's government announces it is abandoning an agreement that would strengthen ties with the European Union. It seeks closer cooperation with Moscow. Protesters take to the streets.

Protest attracts thousands

Sergei Supinsky, AFP/Getty Images

Protest attracts thousands

A protest attracts about 300,000 people at Kiev's Independence Square. Activists seize Kiev City Hall.

Moscow to buy $15B in bonds

Alexander Nemenov, AP

Moscow to buy $15B in bonds

Russian President Vladimir Putin announces Moscow will buy $15 billion worth of Ukrainian government bonds and all for a cut in the price Ukrainians pay for Russian natural gas.

First deaths in protests

Sergei Grits, AP

First deaths in protests

The first protest deaths. Two die after being hit with live ammunition and the third after a fall during a confrontation between police and demonstrators manning barricades.

Opposition activists end their occupation of Kiev City Hall in exchange for release of all jailed protesters.

More than a dozen die in street clashes

Bulent Kilicbulent Kilic, AFP/Getty Images

More than a dozen die in street clashes

Street clashes erupt, leaving at least 26 dead and hundreds injured.

Yanukovych flees the country

Mykhailo Markiv, AP

Yanukovych flees the country

Yanukovych flees the country after a political coup. Opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko is released from prison.

Final days of Olympics

Final days of Olympics

The last day of the Sochi Olympics.

Warrant issued for Yanukovych's arrest

Regional Administration of Kharkiv, AP

Warrant issued for Yanukovych's arrest

Ukraine's interim government and president, Oleksandr Turchinov, issues a warrant for the arrest of Viktor Yanukovych.

More protests and strife

More protests and strife

Pro-Russian protesters take a stand in Crimea. Yanukovych's former chief of staff is wounded by gunfire and hospitalized.

Putin orders military exercises

Alexei Druzhinin, AP

Putin orders military exercise

Amid clashing protesters in Crimea, Putin orders military exercises in western Russia. Secretary of State John Kerry vows $1 billion in loan aid to Ukraine.

Yanukovych resurfaces

Yanukovych resurfaces

Viktor Yanukovych surfaces in Russia, appearing for the first time since fleeing Ukraine. Russian jets are on standby in case of combat.

Armed men take control of Crimea airports

Vasiliy Batanov, AFP/Getty Images

Armed men take control of Crimea airports

Armed men in Russian military uniforms take control of key airports in Crimea. Russian marines surround a Ukraine coast guard base in Sevastopol. Obama warns "there will be costs" for Russian military intervention in Ukraine.

Parliament asks for emergency meeting

Sean Gallup, Getty Images

Parliament asks for emergency meeting

Ukraine's parliament asks for an emergency meeting with the U.N. Security Council. The Ukraine government calls on Russia to put a stop to the "provocations" in Crimea.

Armed men surround military base

Vasiliy Batanov, AFP/Getty Images

Armed men surround military base

Armed men in trucks and armored vehicles surround a Ukrainian military base in Crimea. Putin tells President Obama that use of force on Russia's part would be a response to provocations from Ukraine.

Kerry goes to Ukraine

Dimitar Dilkoff, AFP/Getty Images

Kerry goes to Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry travels to Ukraine.

Kerry offers $1 billion loan

Kerry offers $1 billion loan

In Kiev, Kerry offers the $1 billion loan guarantee and technical experts to help recover assets, referring to the billions reported to have been funneled out of the country by Yanukovych. Putin says he has no intention to "fight the Ukrainian people."

U.N. cuts mission in Crimea

Bebeto Matthews, AP

U.N. cuts mission in Crimea

A special U.N. envoy cuts short its mission in Crimea after a group of armed men order them to leave the region, according to U.N. officials.

Crimea's parliament votes for referendum

Filippo Monteforte, AFP/Getty Images

Crimea's parliament votes for referendum

Crimea's local parliament, which largely supported Yanukovych, voted on Thursday to join Russia and scheduled a referendum for March 16 to do that or enact more autonomy from Kiev.

Obama seeks visa restrictions and economic sanctions on Russians who have been involved in military action in Ukraine. The House Foreign Relations Committee calls on Obama to enact financial and trade sanctions against Russia.

Many urge Crimea to join Russia

Daniel Leal Olivas, AFP/Getty Images

Many urge Crimea to join Russia

Rallies in the streets of Russia urge Crimea to become part of Russia. A leader of Russia's parliament pledged to support a referendum -deemed illegal by the West- to break from Ukraine.

Ukraine competes in the Winter Paralympics in Sochi despite Russia's military moves in Crimea.

Obama meets with Yatsenyuk

Saul Loeb, AFP/Getty Images

Obama meets with Yatsenyuk

President Obama met with Ukraine's interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk on March 12.

Afterward, Obama said elections could "lead to different arrangements over time with the Crimean region. But that is not something that can be done with the barrel of a gun pointed at you."

Crimeans vote to join Russia

Viktor Drachev, AFP/Getty Image

Crimeans vote to join Russia

Residents of Crimea, up to 60% percent of whom are Russian, were given a choice of either joining Russia or opting for more autonomy from Ukraine under the 1992 constitution. The status quo, in which Crimea is a semi-autonomous region of Ukraine, was not an option. They voted overwhelmingly to join Russia.

Obama levels new sanctions

Mark Wilson, Getty Images

Obama levels new sanctions

President Obama announced that he is leveling new sanctions against seven Russian officials who his administration says have contributed to the crisis in Ukraine.

Hours after Vladimir Putin and Crimean leaders signed a treaty that made Crimea part of the Russian Federation, a Ukrainian officer was shot and killed when a gunman attacked a military base near the region's capital. As a result, Ukrainian authorities authorized soldiers to shoot in self-defense.

The White House announced new sanctions Monday against seven Russian officials, a day after the Crimean region of Ukraine voted to join Russia. The sanctions include travel bans and freezing of assets.

President Obama delivered a statement on Ukraine Monday morning. He warned that the United States stands ready to impose further sanctions if necessary on Russia.

"We're going to stand firm on our unwavering support for Ukraine," Obama said.

USA TODAY Network lists five things to watch for as the situation progresses.

Crimeans made it clear Sunday that they want to rejoin Russia, but will anyone recognize their referendum?
VPC

1. If the European Union and United States will impose financial sanctions against the Russian economy. European foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels on Monday to discuss it.

2. Will Russian President Vladimir Putin announce that he supports the annexation of Crimea into Russia? Putin is to address both houses of the Russian parliament on Tuesday.

3. Whether cities in East Ukraine that have large pro-Russian populations will do as Crimea did and demand a referendum to become part of Russia.

4. If Russian troops massing along the border of East Ukraine will infiltrate Ukraine as Russian troops have done in Crimea.

5. What will the reaction be from the Ukraine government in Kiev? Will Kiev try to send troops to Crimea to turn back the insurgency, or to East Ukraine to blunt Russian influence there?